Black Friday Trends – Everything You Need To Know

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving Day in the United States (the fourth Thursday of November). Since 1952, it has been regarded as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season in the U.S., and most major retailers open very early (and more recently during overnight hours) and offer promotional sales. Black Friday is not an official holiday, but California and some other states observe “The Day After Thanksgiving” as a holiday for state government employees, sometimes in lieu of another federal holiday such as Columbus Day. Many non-retail employees and schools have both Thanksgiving and the following day off, which, along with Christmas Eve, makes it a four-day weekend.

In 2015, spending volume on Black Friday fell for the first time since the 2008 recession. $50.9 billion was spent during the four-day Black Friday weekend, down 11% from the previous year. However, the average spend per person rose to a record $299.60.

A number of reasons were cited for the decline, including increased usage of Amazon.com and other online retailers, the effects of the 2014 data breaches at several large retailers, and a generally weak economic climate.

Historical origins

The earliest evidence of “Black Friday” applied to shopping rather than accounting is found in a journal entry from the 19th century. In 1869, two men fought over a discounted pair of pants in a store on what was then called “Bushwick Avenue.” The police were called to quell the disturbance, and people began using “Black Friday” to refer to the day on which such disturbances took place. It wasn’t until well into the 20th century that “Black Friday” began to be associated with shopping.

The earliest known use of “Black Friday” to refer to the day after Thanksgiving occurred in a journal entry from the 19th century. In 1869, two men fought over a discounted pair of pants in a store on what was then called “Bushwick Avenue.” The police were called to quell the disturbance, and people began using “Black Friday” to refer to the day on which such disturbances took place. It wasn’t until well into the 20th century that “Black Friday” began to be associated with shopping.

In the 1960s, retailers began using it as a way to entice people to shop following Thanksgiving, and the name stuck. As retailers increasingly extend their sales beyond one day, some have started referring to the entire period from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday as “Black Friday Weekend.”

In recent years, however, “Black Friday” has come to be associated with long lines, crowded stores, and even violence. In 2013, a Walmart employee in Long Island was trampled to death by a crowd of shoppers, and in 2012, a woman in Virginia pepper-sprayed her fellow shoppers in order to get an Xbox.

Trends

As Black Friday has become more popular, some trends have emerged. One is that stores are starting their sales earlier and earlier, sometimes on Thanksgiving Day itself. Another is that online retailers are offering more and more deals on Black Friday. And finally, many shoppers are choosing to avoid the crowds altogether by shopping online.

Black Friday Memes

If you’re looking for a good laugh this Black Friday, then you need to check out the Black Friday memes that are circulating on the internet. There are some hilarious ones that are sure to get you chuckling, and they’re the perfect way to take a break from all the shopping frenzy. So take a few minutes to scroll through some of the best Black Friday memes and have a good chuckle. You’ll be glad you did!

Here are some of the most notable trends in Black Friday shopping:

Early start times: In recent years, stores have been starting their Black Friday sales earlier and earlier. In 2012, Walmart and Target both started their sales at 8pm on Thanksgiving Day. This year, Walmart is starting its sale even earlier, at 6pm.

Online deals: As more and more people do their shopping online, retailers are offering more and more deals on their websites. This year, Amazon is offering thousands of “Lightning Deals” throughout the day on Friday, with new deals starting as often as every five minutes.

Avoiding the crowds: Some shoppers are choosing to avoid the crowds altogether by shopping online. According to a recent survey, 37% of Americans say they plan to do at least some of their Black Friday shopping online.

What to expect this year

With Black Friday just around the corner, here are a few things to keep in mind:

Sales will start earlier than ever: As mentioned above, many stores will be starting their sales on Thanksgiving Day itself. If you want to avoid the crowds, you may want to do your shopping online.

There will be more online deals than ever: With more and more people doing their shopping online, retailers are offering more and more deals on their websites. This year, Amazon is offering thousands of “Lightning Deals” throughout the day on Friday, with new deals starting as often as every five minutes.

You can expect crowds: Black Friday is still one of the busiest shopping days of the year, so you can expect to see crowds at most stores. If you’re looking to avoid the crowds, you may want to do your shopping online.

What are your plans for Black Friday? Are you going to brave the crowds, or are you going to do your shopping from the comfort of your own home?